Interested in using AI to solve a real world/life problem? Come find out. Let’s do it together.

This Hackathon is a fast-paced, one-day event where you'll go from idea to working prototype — with real teammates, real tools, and a real plan to test what you build.

The event builds on civics and elections challenges inspired by the Upskilling Labs' “Build Cycle,” a thematic 12-week program where participants work on real-world problems and build practical solutions. No previous involvement or AI-capacity required.

This event is for you if:

  • You're curious about AI but haven't gotten hands-on with it yet

  • You care about civic engagement and want to do something beyond reading about it

  • You want to meet people who are actually making things and working to change the status quo

*Note: This is a non-partisan, non-political event.

Come with an open and curious mind. Choose your Track:

If you are a Newcomer: Welcome! Join a beginner-friendly morning track where you'll get hands-on with AI tools and learn how to turn an idea into something you can actually show someone. In the afternoon, you'll get a look inside what the pods are building and get to:

  • See a real project up close and ask every "dumb question" you've been holding

  • Learn by doing — you'll leave with something you actually built

  • No prior experience needed; your outside perspective is genuinely useful here

If you are an Upskiller in the Civics and Elections Build Cycle, join the Pod Sprint: Welcome! You are invited to join a Pod (a small research team focused on a specific civic engagement challenge) in a Pod Sprint (a structured team problem-solving session).

During the day, each person:

  • Shares their perspective on the problem

  • Helps identify promising directions with their Pod

  • Chooses one idea to explore

  • Builds a simple prototype

  • Creates a plan to test it with a real user

By the end of the day, everyone leaves with a prototype and a plan to test it in the real world.

Schedule:

9:00am — All: Light Breakfast

9:30

  • All: Welcome (AU Hosts)

9:45

  • Newcomer Track: About The Upskilling Labs and what to expect (Koryn Leslie-Arcaya)

  • Pod Sprint Track: Frame and orient problem statements (Iliana Estévez)

10:00

  • Newcomer Track: Workshop — Design Thinking with Emily Modde

  • Pod Sprint Track: Lightning Talks, How Might We statements (turning problems into questions worth solving)

10:50

  • Newcomer Track: Workshop — Download Github, tool wayfinding, led by TBD

  • Pod Sprint Track: Build prototypes

11:20

  • Newcomer Track: Pod Briefing

11:50 — All: Lunch

1:00

  • Newcomer Track: Workshop — From Prompt to Prototype: Building your Professional Website with AJ Bubb and Lovable.dev with AJ Bubb

  • Pod Sprint Track: Build prototypes

2:30

  • Newcomer Track: Workshop — Working Backwards from the Outcome: A prompting workshop for people doing real work with Ashwin Jaiprakash

  • Pod Sprint Track: Build prototypes

3:30 — All: Pod member prototype presentations

4:30 — All: Depart for Happy Hour

About the Pods

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Getting to the Hackathon

  • Drive or Rideshare to --> 3501 Nebraska Ave NW

  • Park in the East Campus Lot. Map here.

  • Metro: Tenleytown metro station is the closest (D90 bus drops you off out front) - https://www.wmata.com/

With Thanks to Our Sponsors

About The Upskilling Labs: The Upskilling Labs is an open, project-based learning community prioritizing building real things with real people. Every quarter, we run a “Build Cycle” themed around an industry or topic — participants form “pods” around real problems, develop and test AI-enabled solutions together, and showcase what they've built. No credentials required. Just show up ready to learn alongside others. theupskillinglabs.org

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